


unless you come around

by didyousaygay



Category: SB19 (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Pining, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:07:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29407389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/didyousaygay/pseuds/didyousaygay
Summary: Accepting that his long time friend and room mate will never love him back, he decides to move out and move on in a positive light, that is when a stray puppy stumbles in his life and messes with his non existent love affair.
Relationships: Stellvester "Stell" Ajero/John Paulo Nase | Sejun
Comments: 8
Kudos: 18





	unless you come around

There is no such thing as a broken heart.

The forbidding thunder and lightning across the down pouring night sky is nothing short of ominous but he walks along the narrow, puddle filled alleyway without a care. The human mind is ten fold times more evil than any nature related calamity and hearing the soft whimpers at the garbage dump near the corner turn just proves to him how vile people can be. Not all, but days like this just shows that angels and demons really co-exist in this world. 

  
The sound of thunder rumbles once more and the whimpers echoes loudly in his chest like painful stabs in his soul. He walks in a hurry, he's completely drenched but the soft cries of help are more dire than his internal turmoil because there is no such thing as a broken heart. No one has died from it and he will not be the first one to make it in history to suffer from a stupid theory.

  
The streak of lightning helps him find what he's been looking for as the pair of scared, bluish eyes reflects through the piles of rubbish and he sweeps his way through discarded bottles, boxes and newspapers until the tiny animal cowers in front of him, shaking from the cold.

  
"Look at you, tell me who's the heartless bastard who left you like this, I'll make them pay!" He prays karma to be a big bad bitch to whoever did this. The puppy looks straight into his eyes and there is no way in freezing hell that he's leaving this poor thing alone in this dark, merciless road. He extends his hands to the puppy, he can't tell what breed and what color it is because of all the dirt and grime but it is the least of his concerns and just as if the puppy can sense his genuine intentions, he or maybe a she, walks to his arms with unstable steps, the puppy looks so small, not fit to be weaned off from its mother yet and it fits snuggly in his hands.

There is no such thing as a broken heart.

He holds on to the puppy, wrapping it inside his jacket and he continues to walk his way back home. The heavens flaunts its prowess once again and just like the unending discussion about which came first, the chicken or the egg, he asks thunder and lightning why the speed of light travels faster than sound and if only love was as simple as a theoretical question, maybe he doesn't have to ask which one came first, his faithful friendship or his unrelenting love?

He doesn't have a broken heart. His feelings are stronger than ever and that's what keeps him going. Unlike other people who are crippled by unrequited love, he can walk bravely, tenaciously because love is not a fateful tragedy. It is the bright lighthouse against the blinding storm that leads him safely home.

"Don't cry, you're safe now." He tells the puppy like talking to a child. "That guy's a little grumpy but he has a good heart, you're safe with us."

There is no such thing as a broken heart. 

This puppy in his arms needs all the love and he has a lot to give.

*

"Tel, how many times do I have to remind you to bring an umbrella?! Look at you! And what is that thing?!"

"Hi Sej, it was a long day, nice to see you all jolly and welcoming." He looks down at the puppy with a justified nod. "See, I told you he's grumpy." 

The puppy pokes its head out of Stel's jacket with a whimper and the scowl in Sejun's face disappears. "Both of you need a warm shower." He steps aside to let Stel in, shaking his head with a soft smile. Their door way is now flooded because of Stel's completely wet clothes. "You're cleaning that mess when you're done with that fur factory.. looks like a husky." Sejun drapes a towel around Stel, patting his head with fondness.

"Noted." Stel replies with a wide smile.

There is no such thing as a broken heart. It is not logically possible.

The puppy turned out to be a black and white husky as Sejun guessed but calling it black and white is an outstretch because the only black fur on it are the ears and the tip of its four paws, everything else is silk white with blue eyes popping like the sky. The features are weird but considerably special for its breed and Stel cannot get over the inhumane thought of someone leaving this poor thing to fend for itself. It's surprisingly free from fleas meaning the puppy was not in the streets for too long, thank God. When he stepped out of the shower with the puppy in his arms, the wet floor of their living room is already wiped clean and a cup of warm milk is waiting for him at the living room's center table. This is the reason why he can't feel his heart splinter into pieces. It may be unrequited love but Stel's love is worth giving and he has lots to give.

There is no such thing as a broken heart.

Stel goes to his room first with the puppy still in hand, he grabs his hair dryer, then walks to the living room and sits on the floor with the giant cotton ball on his lap. He starts to use the low heat to dry the puppy's fur. The poor thing looks so exhausted that it immediately falls asleep despite the continuous humming of the dryer. It was a relaxing sight as he gets lost in his own thoughts.

Stel was too pre-occupied that he did not notice Sejun sit quietly behind him on the sofa with his own hair dryer and starts to dry up Stel's hair. 

"Sej, you don't have to do that, I'll do it later once this puppy's all dried up." Stel reminds himself again that there is no such thing as a broken heart but people sadly die from heart attacks on a daily basis and even for them who's been sharing this two room flat for six years, intimacy between friends is something that Stel continuously struggles to keep at bay. He tries to move but the sleeping puppy in his lap is such an angel, he doesn't want to wake it up with his sudden gay panic.

Sejun chuckles, a low pitched hum and Stel will need an ambulance soon if Sejun will not stop running his slender fingers through Stel's hair. He knows it's innocent on Sejun's part but Stel's own biology and principles are starting to clash in an all out war. 

"You'll catch a cold if you don't dry up soon. It's the beginning of winter, good timing we don't have a gig tomorrow, plus, you look so miserable when you're sick."

"Everyone looks miserable when they're sick! Even your handsome face is not an exception John Paulo Nase!" _When did he start complimenting Sejun so shamelessly?_ Stel can't remember.

"I like it when you get all fired up, shouting my name in pure annoyance. You're so cute." Sejun continues to dry Stel's hair, his hand is now overtly holding on to Stel's nape, the action sits in-between a gentle massage and sensuous stroking.

_This is the reason why I'm moving out. God damn it_. Stel calms his nerves down. Every time Sejun does something kind to him, he can't help but fall for him even more and every single freaking time that Sejun does something intimate but purely out of friendship, Stel can't help but hope for something more because he has so much love to give but he doesn't want Sejun to drown in it.

There is no such thing as a broken heart. _Who's the moron who created that sad image in the first place?_

Sejun is already done with Stel's hair but the puppy still has a long way to go with how thick its fur is. Sejun leans over, resting his chest against Stell's back, his arms wrapping around him in a semi-embrace and helps in drying up the sleeping puppy's never ending white fur. Their cheeks are grazing against each other and Stel violently screams at biology.

"Now, we can dry this fluff ball faster." Sejun points the dryer on the puppy's exposed belly. "Spoiled brat, sleeping while we do all the work." Sejun pokes its cheeks with his free hand and chuckles.

"You're starting an argument with a sleeping puppy Sej, so mature."

"I'm so sleepy Tel.." 

"Go to sleep, you don't need me to tuck you to bed. And that's all your fault because I told you to stop writing songs until daybreak."

"The lyrics torment me at night. Can I sleep in your room?"

"Sleep in your own room, that's not gonna work on me tonight John Paulo. Go to sleep."

"This guy gets to sleep beside you while me, your good old Sej gets kicked out like a puppy..." 

"Guy? And what makes you think its sleeping beside me?"

"Am I wrong? And it has the 'thing', your puppy is a he."

Stel double checks and you gotta give it to Sejun and his eye for details. Not that Stel cares anyway because Sejun's body huddled close to him is a crime in its own. But Sejun should never under estimate Stel's toughness against uncalled-for affection. "Then I have a perfect name for him since it's a he."

"Last time we wrote a sad love song, you named it 'sad love song'. I'm expecting more from you." Sejun replies with insinuation, switching the hair dryer off and resting his palm on Stel's thighs, creating lazy circles with his fingers.

Stel turns to Sejun, their faces are so close, he can see Sejun's eyelashes closely, every detail of his face is a treat to Stel's growing desire but he's not a weak-minded lovestruck idiot. He's far stronger than that. "I have a perfect name." He stands, freeing himself from Sejun's embrace while carrying the puppy carefully in his arms. 

Sejun sits back on the sofa with a smize and _he's so damn attractive_ , Stel wants to throw a slipper at him.

"Okay, give it your best shot."

Stel replies to Sejun with a condescending smirk. "Say hi to Pau. And I'll give him all the love that I can give. He deserves it."

Sejun squints his eyes, intimidating for others, but for Stel, it's just plain adorable. Sejun stands up to face Stel with a squarely challenging gaze. "Pau?? You're naming him Pau, are you serious?"

"Why not? Go to sleep, good night. **Sej.** " Stel will obviously not back down. Mentioning Sej in a heavier, sarcastic tone.

"If you're naming him Pau.." Sejun steps closer to Stel, their faces back to invading each other's personal space. Sejun gently takes the puppy from Stell, cradling it in his arms with care and Stel throws him a questioning glare. "..he's sleeping beside me. **Tel.** " The sarcastic tone in Stel's name is a likely defiance. "Good night." He walks away, closing his bed room door with a soft click.

Stel goes to his own room in a daze. _What the hell was that??_ He didn't realize his knees were shaking until he slowly slides down against his door and drops on the floor. If Sejun insisted, Stel would've said yes to anything without thinking twice. _Damn, that pushy Sejun was hot._ Sleep will prove to be elusive tonight.

*

Stel jolts out from bed when he opened his eyes to his brightly lit room. It took him until dawn to fall asleep, forgetting to close his window shades. The sun's angle looks like it's almost noon and he quickly runs out of his room to check on Tiny Pau because the puppy by this time is surely hungry and Stel doesn't even know if he needs milk or solid food. 

The living room and the small kitchen has no signs of life, he unthinkingly goes into Sejun's bed room without knocking, ultimately worried but the heart warming sight he sees is straight out of a romantic hand book checklist and Stel is not complaining.

Sejun is still sleeping, lying on his back in the middle of his bed, with disarrayed sheets, his handsome features relaxed in deep sleep makes him look boyish and cute, Stel's heart just nose dived with a deep, fond _awwww_. Tiny Pau is sleeping soundly, curled on top of Sejun's tummy and Stel's heart feels like it's made of clouds. There is no such thing as a broken heart when a sleeping Sejun is enough to give Stel life until he's a hundred years old. He slowly backs away with quiet steps because this scene needs to be immortalized not just in his head but in every aspect ratio of his phone and desk top wallpaper.

*

Sejun wakes up to angry growls of his stomach. He slowly opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is the puppy on his belly staring at him with the brightest blue eyes he has ever seen on an animal, wagging his tail excitedly. 

"For someone who's depressed and rescued from the streets just yesterday, you're full of energy today. Aren't you hungry?" Sejun's stomach starts growling again.

The puppy barks for the first time, a cute whelp and that's all it took for Sejun to be enamored. "Fine. We're good but I'm not calling you Pau." Sejun hugs the puppy, burrowing his nose in its thick fur. It smells of strawberry shampoo like Stel. "I'm supposed to be Pau.. I'm not calling you Pau, you hear me?"

The puppy barks again and Sejun carries him, he goes out of his bed room with a smile because he can already smell freshly brewed coffee and toast. Not wanting to think that his favorite scene upon waking up has a dead line and it's coming near. Stel is moving out of their house in a month but why does Sejun feel like he's being evicted from his own home?

*

"Don't feed him toast! Babies are not supposed to eat them! I can't believe you can't be trusted alone with Pau! How dare you Sej!!" Stel snatches the toasted bread from a whining Tiny Pau and carries him in his arms away from Sejun with wide eyed disbelief.

"He's not a baby! He's a moving stuffed toy who will eat anything because he's hungry!"

"First, you gave him bread and then you called him a hungry stuffed toy?! John Paulo Nase, you are so annoying!"

"Fine, I'm annoying, you overprotective mother wolf! Are we bringing him to the vet or you just want to kill me with your death stare the whole day?!"

"Shit, I forgot to book an appointment." Stel responds in panic.

"It's okay Tel.." Sejun replies calmly. "I'm sure the clinic accepts walk-ins. The map shows it's a twenty minute walk from here."

"It's cold outside Sej, can you bring an extra sweater for Pau?"

"He's a husky but fine. Wear a thicker jacket for yourself then let's get going."

"What if he's microchipped? We have to give him back."

"Don't worry, at least he gets to go home." Sejun grazes his fingers softly against Stel's cheek with a glum expression.

There is no such thing as a broken heart. Stel is moving out in a month. He's just moving out. He will still see Sejun at work, for crying out loud. Sejun is and will forever be his irreplaceable friend. But why does moving out from their house feels like it's a mistake? Stel is not one to commit brash decisions and he has thought about this move rationally and that is exactly what he is trying to avoid - to commit irrational mistakes because he is blinded by love. Stel will miss everything when he leaves but why does Sejun look so sad?

*

"This band needs a re-branding." Ken announces solemnly one afternoon. "If Stel will bring Pau-pau on every gig, we will have to cater to two types of audience now, the crowd who is after his cuteness and the crowd who authentically likes our music."

"I made a song about Pau-pau but Sejun thinks it's too cheesy." Justin adds to Ken's subtle teasing and savagely plays the latest track in their album with his keyboards that talks about jealousy. 

Before Ken could start singing the lyrics with his deep vocals, Sejun starts to violently throw guitar picks at them with a glare and the two young ones start howling in laughter.

Their teasing stops when Josh walks in their rehearsal room with Stel, carrying Tiny Pau along. When the puppy sees Sejun, it excitedly wags its tail and tries to squirm its way out of Stel's arms with a whine.

Stel puts Tiny Pau down and the puppy zooms his way to Sejun, desperately climbing up to his leg for affection. Stel sighs with a fond smile. "Sometimes I get jealous, I rescued him but he's so in love with Sej, it's so annoying."

"I wonder why he's so in love with Sejun.. hmm.." Josh teasingly replies as he makes his way to the stool behind his drum set. He immediately sees Tiny Pau's squeaky toy flying towards him with Stel's dagger-like stares. He avoids it but Sejun's well aimed guitar pick hits him square in the forehead.

Ken continues with his cackling laughter. "That's what happens when you tease Mom and Dad." Another guitar pick hits him and he's baffled on how much guitar picks does Sejun keep in his pocket to throw limitlessly to his liking.

"I'm not picking you up, you feisty attention seeker. No." Sejun speaks to the puppy like scolding a child but Tiny Pau continues to jump for his affection.

"Sej, come on, why are you so childish? Pau missed you because you were too grumpy to wait for us at the clinic." Stel reprimands Sejun with an equally childish whine. 

"Me? Childish?? We have practice at 4 but because the vet was late, practice was pushed to 5, why am I childish??! And why are you complaining about me when Josh is also late?" Sejun unmindfully picks up Tiny Pau. The puppy licks Sejun's chin once and settles on his lap with a cute whimper. He looks down at the puppy and speaks. "I'm not angry at you fake panda, but your Dad is so annoying." The puppy looks up at him with innocent eyes.

Sejun felt the sudden absence of noise and that's not a positive sign when he knows how rowdy they are when they're all together, he looks up to see the four, with their phones out, recording him and the puppy. _What the hell is wrong with all of them?!_

"Awww.." Justin coos with a gummy smile.

"Since all of you are so weird, practice until 9!" Sejun declares with finality.

"Sej, Pau needs his food two hours later.." Stel bargains with worry.

"Fine. Practice until seven." Sejun replies sullenly with a pout.

There is no such thing as a broken heart. Stel's heart is so full of Sejun, he won't allow it to be ripped inside out.

*

The crowd sings along with them as Ken holds out the mic in front and the audience belts the chorus enthusiastically. Sejun plays the lead chords with Stell backing up the bass chords and second vocals. This is one of their band's most famous song and coincidently, their favorite because it sings about unconditional love. They used to call it mushy, the fans called it an instant classic. And if only Sejun knew that Stel's 10-liner lyric contribution comes from his own experience of loving him, will Sejun still look at him the same way? With twinkling, happy eyes that means the world and the universe and everything else that belongs in it.

There is no such thing as a broken heart. _Try confessing, maybe you'll find the real answer_. Stel is not a perpetual embodiment of sunshine and the song reminds him of that. But he pushes through until the final set. Because he is far stronger than what he thinks he is capable of. He looks to his right and sees Tiny Pau, held by their manager with a lively wag in his tail and of course, looking at Sejun with anticipation. Stel can't help but compare himself with Tiny Pau. Both of them wanting Sejun's attention and loving him unconditionally. 

There is no such thing as a broken heart. The stage lights are so warm, Stel's eyes are burning. 

*

"Do you really have to leave, Tel?" Five big boxes are now sealed and taped up when Sejun springs the question. He's not looking at Stel but he's staring at Tiny Pau in his lap while the puppy plays with the strings of his hoodie. 

"We've talked about this Sej." Stel takes the sixth box and starts to unfold it, sealing the bottom with duct tape. "Two guys sharing a small flat for six years is quite a long time. You need your own space. We need our own space."

"Seven." Sejun picks up Tiny Pau, he's not as tiny as he was when they adopted him. "Time flies so fast, don't you think so?"

"Six. He is six weeks old Sej, not seven."

"We've been together for seven years."

"Seven years the day after tomorrow. So that's still inaccurate."

"And you decide to move out a day before it."

"What are you talking about?"

"We always have problems with communication."

"We scream and get at each other's throats but we always get along, what are you trying to say?"

"Tel, please stay." Sejun hugs Tiny Pau tightly but this time, the puppy squirms and runs to Stel with empathic blue eyes.

Stel looks down at the puppy but he doesn't pick him up. "Stop doing this Sej. Just, stop." He turns his back and locks himself up in his room. He doesn't turn the lights on, he just allowed his fears to be lost in the blinding darkness.

There is no such thing as a broken heart. Stel hears the parabolic crack, creating a flaw in his armor but he holds on to the duct tape like his salvation. Duct tape sticks everything back together. He'll leave the house and he'll leave his heart. But in the end, Stel still has an enormous love to give.

*

  
"What should I do? What if he ends up hating me? I can't do that.."

A shrill bark is the answer Sejun gets.

"You think so? You're a puppy, you've been in this world for less than two months, stop lecturing me."

Another bark.

"No, stop licking my face, I'm still mad at you that one time you snuggled close to him and he ignored me the whole day. Stop that cuteness. Noooo!!"

Puppy whimpers.

"Fine, that's water under the bridge, you.. discount carpet. So what do I do now?"

Three barks.

"You're not helping at all."

Silence.

"I'm going crazy, I'm asking a puppy for love advice.."

Love? Advice? Stel is about to go inside Sejun's room to apologize and he knows eavesdropping is bad but a conversation between Sejun and a puppy doesn't count as eavesdropping... right? Stel still feels like an awful human being for doing this but--

"I love Tel so much but he's too dense to get it. I don't know what to do mini Pau..."

_That's it_ , that's the imaginary borderline. Stel barges inside Sejun's room furiously and he finds Sejun lying in bed with Tiny Pau sitting upright like an adult dog beside him. As if he's listening to Sejun's problems profoundly with understanding. 

Stel is a strong individual but he has his soft moments and _damn it,_ he's melting like microwaved jelly. Before he collapses into a gooey slump, he unlocks his phone, opens the secret folder and throws it beside Sejun. "Dense? Take a look at that and tell me who the fuck is dense now, you clueless idiot!! Oooohh, you annoy me so much, I can't with you!" He stomps his way out of Sejun's room, leaving the door ajar and tries to sort his chaotic feelings in their living room couch.

Sejun is still in shock but he sits and picks up Stel's phone with trembling hands. Before checking its contents, he screams back at Stell "Why do you always barge in without knocking? You can't undo this now! We're fucked! This friendship is all fucked up!"

"Shut up and look at that first Sej, damn it, I don't know what to do anymore!"

Sejun checks the phone and sees the file name. <My Pau - 2,478 photos> He's getting more agitated, _how big is Stel's phone memory?_ "You managed to take this much photos of this walking foot rug in a span of, what, three weeks?! You are more than annoying Tel!!" Sejun stands up to confront Stel in the living room and towers in front of him.

Stel stands up, not backing down as always. "I said shut up John Paulo, look closely, you idiot!" Stel angrily taps the screen and the folder reveals almost endless rows of photos.

Sejun looks at the screen and sees his face, well, an overwhelming number of his face in every angle. Majority of the shots were taken when he's not looking. When he's playing the guitar, when he's writing songs, when he's laughing at someone's joke. The last photo is him and the puppy in a tug of war with a squeaky toy. This is how Stel sees him and he's been looking at Stel the wrong way this whole time. "You.. you.. Tel.. I.." 

"Say that you love me in my face or I will walk out of this place forever." Stel holds Sejun's face with both hands, not wanting him to look away and escape.

"Is that how you confess your love? By threatening me?" Sejun holds his gaze with equal intimidation, pulling Stel's shirt towards him with intensity.

"I'm in love with you for years, John Paulo Nase." Stel confesses, close to tears. His hands moving to Sejun's nape as he grasps the unruly locks of hair, he's been aching to do it for the longest time.

"I've been trying to tell you the same thing for years. I love you Stel Ajero."

A tiny bark breaks the burning tension between them and they both laugh, Tiny Pau wagging his tail happily to both of them with excitement. They once saved a single life and this precious little soul saved them in return. 

"Stop calling that fluff ball Pau. I'm your only Pau." Sejun demands with a pout.

"How about I call you something else Sej?"

"Like what?"

"My husband."

"Aren't you going too fast Mr. Ajero?"

"You don't like it?"

"Try to convince me with a kiss."

"Who's going too fast now?"

"Should we hold hands and go on a date first?"

"I've waited too long for this, kiss me!"

"No, you kiss me!"

There is no such thing as a broken heart.

Stel kisses Sejun and Sejun kisses him back.

There is so much love that they both have, the four corners of their home may not be able to contain it.


End file.
